The underlying problem with this analysis is that one of the core Oomoto-kyo doctrines relates to the deity Ushitora-no-konjin, "the hidden god", a male deity whose position was improperly taken by Amaterasu-Omikami. In this line of Oomoto doctrine, the essential problem with Japan was precisely its rule by a royal line associated with a female deity who improperly usurped the central role that rightfully belonged to a deeper, and more profound, male deity. ... Ueshiba's deeper self-identification with Susanoo-woo-no-mikoto and with Ame-no-murakumo-kuki-samuhara-ryoo must be regarded as critical and -- perhaps-- definitive in regard to any mythopoetic analysis.

Delving into that is a much wider discussion; the narrow issue here is that he explicitly claims the warrant of Amaterasu mediated by Sarutahiko for the position that he takes against the war (and I argue against the divine aspect of Imperial authority (not his temporal position it is important to note). It is the difference between heresy and treason, in this setting. This is even spoken of in the versoin of Takemusu Aiki lectures given at AJ :

Quote:

Our work is the work of the Great God. Our achievements, in so far as concerns this world, are offered to the authority of the Emperor. The same is the case for our bodies too.

http://www.aikidojournal.com/article?articleID=639 . His effort is only to challenge the divine mandate, not the temporal order -- by building the Aiki Shrine, underlined by the fact that it is a divinely effective task -- not a practically effective one. The distinction is clear; the Emperor retains temporal, physical authority, but his divine sanction is not affirmed. It is replaced by a direct personal association with the "work of the Great God" We need not get into a sidebar on the nature of that entity in this discussion. The break with the Emperor cult seems fairly clear.

If it is tatemae it needs explaining why this tatemae is adopted to contrven prior belief before the war ended, and then why and to what purpose it is doing triple duty in three distinct positions of possible conflict to which it might apply 1) before the war ended (after 1942); 2) during the Occupation, and 3) after the Occupation and the resumption of Japanese rule.